Today in Strasbourg, during the European Parliament’s plenary session, an exhibition organized by ECR MEP Beata Kempa titled “The Ulms—Polish Samaritans” was opened. The exhibition is dedicated to the tragic story of the heroic Polish family, Wiktoria and Józef Ulm, who were murdered along with their children for sheltering eight Jews during World War II. The event was opened by ECR Group Co-Chair Prof. Ryszard Legutko, and was attended by Dr. Mateusz Szpytma, Deputy President of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN); Dr. Dariusz Iwaneczko, Director of the IPN Branch in Rzeszów; and Rev. Dr. Witold Burda, postulator for the Ulm family’s beatification process.
Prof. Legutko, in opening the exhibition about the family that lost their lives while hiding Jews during World War II, recalled that “helping Jews in Poland during World War II was different from helping Jews elsewhere.” “What we are dealing with here is a testament to human heroism, the highest form of sacrifice, and the utmost humanity,” emphasized the MEP, noting that the experiences of World War II were unimaginable from today’s perspective.
Beata Kempa noted that this is a major event, not only on a European scale but also on a global one. She recalled that the beatification of the Ulm family took place in September and that this is the first such case in the history of the Church in which an entire family has been beatified.
Referring to the exhibition’s title, “The Ulms—Polish Samaritans,” the MEP highlighted the humanity that this family demonstrated every day. “They protected Jews; they protected those fleeing their persecutors—the Germans—those who had nowhere else to go, who might have perished in an extermination camp or been shot at any moment,” she said.
In this context, she recalled the bizarre accusations regarding the Holocaust that have often been leveled against Poland “by evil forces.” “Today, this symbol of humanity is here in Strasbourg, at the European Parliament. Here, we are proving that Poles helped Jews, that Poles helped at the risk not only of their own lives and health, but also of their entire families, in order to protect those fleeing death. A beautiful symbol, a wonderful exhibition, a great day at the European Parliament,” emphasized the event’s organizer.
Dr. Dariusz Iwaneczko, director of the Rzeszów branch of the Institute of National Remembrance, noted that as we look at the photographs taken by Józef Ulma, we follow the story of a seemingly ordinary Polish family—yet one that was so extraordinary. “We are looking at a family whose life was brutally cut short at the end of the war. Józef and Wiktoria Ulma were not passive in the face of history’s cruel course. They became active participants in it, noticing other people who needed help. They stood on the side of good and shared that goodness with others. Nationality, religion, and cultural differences became irrelevant in the face of the terror of the German occupation. What mattered was humanity rooted in deeply ingrained Christian values and the centuries-old culture of European civilization. “In seeking to protect the lives of their Jewish brothers, the Ulms lost their own lives,” said the director of the Rzeszów branch of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN). He added that it is impossible to remain indifferent to such a stance and expressed hope that this exhibition would help people learn about the Ulm family and their heroic act of love.
The beatification process for the Ulm family, who were murdered on March 24, 1944, by the Germans for hiding Jews, began in 2003. On December 17, 2022, Pope Francis approved the decree on the martyrdom of the Ulm family and authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to publish it. On September 10, 2023, Pope Francis declared Joseph and Victoria Ulm and their seven children blessed.
